Care of Riedel Glasses

Wash under warm water, detergent is not necessary		Place on linen,for time being		For extra shine, steam over boiling water		To polish use 2 linen tea towels
Hold and polish glass by base		Use left hand to cradle the bowl and polish with your right hand		Never twist the base and bowl		Perfect result

As Riedel glasses are executed in the finest lead crystal, it is important to pay attention to their correct care.
The surface is coarser than ordinary glass, which has the advantage of conveying more intense aromas. On the other hand the surface is softer, more delicate, easily scratched, and quickly absorbs environmental odours, maybe a cardboard smell or the wood of your cupboard. As our glasses have a large surface, this intensifies the effect.

If the glasses are not used frequently, nose them before serving.

Hand Washing
Do not be afraid when washing your glasses by hand. Depending on how greasy the glasses are, use more or less detergent in lukewarm water. Rinse thoroughly afterwards under running water.
Before polishing your glasses, steam them over a bowl of boiling water for that extra sparkle.
The best way to polish your Riedels is to use "Grandma's linen" - lint-free linen - which has been washed without a fabric softener: the softener leaves a light film of grease which kills the bubbles in champagne.
When wiping, use two cloths and both hands: your left hand to hold the bowl, your right hand to wipe it. Do not force the cloth into the bowl, otherwise the thin walls will not hold the pressure.
The disadvantage of holding the glass by the base while wiping the bowl is that you twist the stem which may break.

Dishwasher Cleaning
Riedel glasses are used in many thousands of hotels and restaurants around the world and are of course cleaned in professional dishwashers. This is to underline that you may use your dishwasher.
However, please be aware of some inconveniences:

• Often the long-stemmed glasses do not fit in the racks.
• The washing cycle takes approximately one hour or more. The cooling phase, which may take all night, exposes the glass surface to hot steam and later to highly-concentrated moisture, which over the years corrodes the fine surface of stemware. The result is that the glasses tarnish after many hundred cycles and show a slight irreversible blue film.
• Glasses may take on a 'dishwasher smell' which is created by the chlorine in the water or the rinse aid.